DailyCommercial.com | Monday, August 27, 2018 A1 SPORTS | B1 LOCAL & STATE | A3 FSU COACH THOUSANDS TURN TAGGART EXPECTS OUT FOR MOUNT A BOUNCE-BACK DORA SEAFOOD YEAR FESTIVAL Monday, August 27, 2018 YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR LAKE & SUMTER COUNTIES @dailycommercial Facebook.com/daily.commercial 75¢ 3 dead in Jacksonville mass shooting Gunman opens fi re the middle of a video game suspect, who some witnesses Law enforcement during video game tournament at Jacksonville’s said began shooting around boats patrol the tournament; kills two downtown waterfront mall, 1:34 p.m. after losing the St. Johns River at people and himself killing two people, injuring tournament, Williams said. The Jacksonville 11 more, then killing himself, He would not confirm the Landing after a By Nate Monroe, Joe Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Wil- motive behind the shooting, mass shooting Daraskevich, Tessa Duvall, liams said, a chaotic scene at but said Katz used “at least during a video Teresa Stepzinski the city’s most visible venue. one handgun” on the victims game tournament and Andrew Pantazi The shooting was con- and himself. Sunday at the GateHouse Media Florida nected to a Madden NFL 19 The FBI and Bureau of riverfront mall video game tournament at Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire- in Jacksonville, JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Chicago Pizza in the Jack- arms and Explosives visited Fla. [WILL DICKEY/ A 24-year-old Maryland sonville Landing. David Katz, GATEHOUSE MEDIA man opened fire Sunday in from Baltimore, was the lone See SHOOTING, A6 FLORIDA] Thrift so others thrive A volunteer army powers First Baptist Thrift Store in service to others By Frank Stanfield frankstanfield@ dailycommercial.com LEESBURG – The First Bap- LOCAL & STATE | A3 tist Church thrift store looks like, well, a furniture store, HISTORY which it was in its former life. But the 22,000-square- OR HATE? foot building at 1210 North Boulevard harbors a secret An analysis of the army of volunteers – “God’s Confederate statue team” – as the manager likes controversy to call them. Every week, 60 to 80 unpaid workers, many of whom are retirees, show up to clean, polish, stack, sort and sell everything from sofas to fine Neil jewelry. Some have retail experi- ence. Others have hunted Simon antiques for years, collected “Our heartbeat of our church is to impact people where they’re at in life, especially when they’re glassware or love fixing things hurting. We clothe them, feed them, a lot of those ministries house people for months at a time. In dies at 91 like clocks. meeting their needs at the same time we’re sharing Christ with them.” - Gary Gray, manager of First Not all of them are on the Baptist Thrift Store. By Mark Kennedy showroom floor. Some, like The Associated Press Anna Lee Freeze, pore over “The neat thing about that jewelry, holding it lovingly is, it takes a little bit of NEW YORK — Playwright in her hands while examining the pressure off of those Neil Simon, a master of comedy the clasps and checking for ministries ... Obviously, whose laugh-filled hits such as damage. they have a budget, but “The Odd Couple,” “Barefoot “I was a jewelry buyer for 30 sometimes they don’t in the Park” and his “Brigh- years,” she said of her years know where that money ton Beach” trilogy dominated working for stores. is coming from, so this Broadway for decades, has “How’s that for God put- provides a little cushion so died. He was 91. ting together a team?” said they can minister instead Simon died early Sunday of of chasing money.” complications from pneumonia DePaul Dixon shops in the men’s clothing section at the First Gary Gray, First Baptist Church See THRIFT, A6 Baptist Thrift Store in Leesburg. [CINDY SHARP/CORRESPONDENT] thrift store director See SIMON, A6 For McCain, politics came down to 1 vote By Nancy Benac to one vote, in the middle of balance as a Senate roll call striding with purpose toward The Associated Press the night, in the twilight of dragged on past 1 a.m. on a the well of the Senate. In this Sept. 22, 1994 photo, his career. July night in 2017. The Arizona Republi- American playwright Neil WASHINGTON — For The fate of President Then came McCain — 80 can raised his right arm, Simon answers questions John McCain, a lifetime of Donald Trump’s long effort years old, recently diagnosed paused for dramatic effect during an interview in Seattle, courage, contradictions and to repeal Barack Obama’s with brain cancer, his face Wash. [ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE contrarianism came down health care law hung in the still scarred from surgery, See MCCAIN, A7 PHOTO] Volume 142, Issue 239©2018 Local and State ............. A3 Sports.......................... B1 GateHouse Media Opinion .......................A9 Classified ..................... B5 Home delivery: 352-787-0600 Weather .....................A10 Diversions ................... B6 A2 Monday, August 27, 2018 | DailyCommercial.com NATION&WORLD IN BRIEF OSCEOLA, ARK. World leaders mourn McCain Prosecutor: Arkansas lawmen justifi ed in deadly shooting Prosecutors say three Arkan- sas law enforcement officers were justified in using deadly force in the fatal shooting of an armed man who fatally wounded a police dog. Authorities say 35-year-old James Blackmon was shot on July 30 in eastern Arkansas after officers used a tire-puncturing device to stop a vehicle driven by Blackmon that was fleeing at high speeds. Blackmon ran and opened fire on authorities, fatally wounding a state police dog that made contact with him. Officials say officers found Blackmon lying in a soybean field and opened fire when Blackmon pointed a pistol at them. Prosecutor Scott Elling- ton said Saturday that the officers acted in defense of their own lives. PLAINFIELD, N.J. Probation recommended for school offi cial in incident Prosecutors have agreed to recommend probation for a former New Jersey pre- school director accused of using a knife to threaten two 4-year-olds. The Union County prosecu- tor’s office said Adetokunbo Akinnaso, 64, pleaded guilty last week to two counts of fourth-degree child abuse in Superior Court NJ.com In this Oct. 11, 2008, photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a rally in Davenport, Iowa. [ASSOCIATED reported. PRESS FILE PHOTO] Akinnaso was the director of the Dawn To Dusk Christian By Rick Noack and stood for an America that Donald Trump is raising Afghanistan’s chief Childcare and Learning Center Amie Ferris-Rotman was a reliable and close questions over the future executive officer, Abdul- in Plainfield when prosecutors The Washington Post partner that — because of of U.S.-European eco- lah Abdullah, tweeted that alleged she brandished a knife its strength — shouldered nomic and defense ties. McCain was “a great friend after two 4-year-olds were BERLIN — If anyone ever responsibility for others After Trump’s inaugura- & supporter of the Afghan brought to her office for disci- doubted John McCain’s and stood by its values and tion, McCain had embarked nation & people through- plinary reasons earlier this year. global stature, the outpour- principles even in difficult on a trip to over a dozen out the years. In respect and ing of condolences from moments,” wrote Germa- countries to reassure allies. appreciation, we pay tribute JERUSALEM across the world proved the ny’s foreign minister Heiko The Arizona Republican’s to his legacy.” Israel to reopen Gaza crossing very opposite on Sunday. Maas. “We will remember vocal criticism of the Trump In Iraq, where McCain after week of calm on border To world leaders, the his voice.” administration’s more iso- championed an Ameri- 81-year-old Arizona Repub- German Chancellor Angela lationist foreign policy can invasion that toppled Israel’s defense minister lican who lost his year-long Merkel echoed Maas’ com- approach echoed many of Saddam Hussein but is has announced he will reopen battle with brain cancer this ments, saying, “John McCain the concerns raised in capi- widely considered the major the country’s main personnel weekend was a “hero,” an was led by the firm con- tals around the world. catalyst for the expansion of crossing with the Gaza Strip “inspiration to millions,” viction that the sense of all But McCain’s legacy al-Qaida and the birth of the following a week of relative and a man “of great cour- political work lies in service goes far beyond his out- Islamic State, reaction to the calm along the border. age.” To democratically to freedom, democracy and spokenness on the Trump senator’s death was muted. Avigdor Lieberman said elected politicians across the rule of law. His death is administration. In northern Iraq, on the Sunday that after consultation the globe, McCain embodied a loss to all those who share His commitment to the other hand, officials with with the country’s security a U.S. role model they were this conviction.” Middle East and South Asia the autonomous Kurdis- agencies, he ordered the open- able to rally behind without While Merkel called was lauded by officials in tan Regional Government ing of the Erez border crossing hesitations. McCain “one of the great those regions, including by mourned McCain, remem- on Monday. But McCain wasn’t afraid political personalities of Pakistani Foreign Minister bering him as a longtime The decision to reopen the of confronting illiberal our time,” French President Shah Mahmood Qureshi, advocate for their interests. crossing comes amid efforts regimes with facts and crit- Emmanuel Macron referred who praised McCain as “a The 2003 invasion formal- by Egypt to mediate a possi- icism — be it allies or foes to the late senator as “a true man of integrity and a cham- ized Iraqi Kurds’ control over ble ceasefire between Gaza’s — earning him respect in American hero.” pion of civility.” He said that their own territory.